Water-conductor



W No. 225,237.

GfK. REBER. aterConduo'tor.

Patented lVla-rgQ, 18.80.

NAPEIERS. FHOT0-L|TNDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. Dv, C.

' AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFLCE.`

GEORGE K. REBER, OF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOLDERLESS STANDING SEAMCONDUCTOR COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF ALLEGHENY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,237, dated March 9,1880.

Application filed December 2, 1879.

To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE K. REBER, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Water-Conductors; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, inwhich- Figure l is a side elevation in perspective. Fig. 2 is across-section, and Fig. 3 is a view of the key of the fastener. Fig. 4is a sectional view of the conductor with doublelocked seam, and Fig. 5is a view of a woodscrew fastener for the conductor.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention relates to water-conductors placed upon the sides ofhouses, stores, and other buidings, for the purpose of carrying therain-water from the roof to the surface of the ground, or to tanks orother receptacles when it is used for different purposes.

Heretofore these water-conductors have been formed of sheet-iron orother suitable metal bent into various shapes, and having their edgesunited by means of a fiat seam or soldering. The pipes or conductorsthus formed were secured to the side of the house in such position thatthe pipe rested directly against the Wall, and any leakage or overowfrom the pipe would be absorbed by the brick or wood and cause dampnessin the wall along the line of the conductor. To obviate this theconductors have been Ihung on brackets', so that they did not touch thewall; but these brackets are frail, expensive, unsightly, and sometimespermit the conductors to be swung by the wind, thereby loosening theirconnection with the roof and causing leakage.

By my invention these objections are entirely overcome.

It consists,` rst, in a water-conductor provided with a standing seamadapted to be turned toward the wall when the conductor is secured inplace, and so prevent the conductor from coming in contact with theWall; second, in a water-conductor provided with a double-lockedstanding seam to prevent the breakage of the same; third, in a fastenerprovided with a slot or recess for the reception of the standing seam;and, finally, in details of construction hereinafter specifically setforth.

One of the chief advantages of my invention is, that it requires nofastening devices to be attached to it, and can, be completely finishedin the shop, and, when taken to the building, can be simply insertedinto the fastenings and secured without any other work than securing thefastening into the wall.

The old forms of sheet-metal conductors were generally secured to thehouses by flanges soldered or riveted to the conductors; but with brickbuildings these could not be put on until the position of the conductoron the building was first ascertained, because it was necessary for theflanges to come opposite to a place between the bricks where the nailscould be driven in, and which was so related to the length of thesection that it would be held up against and in position with thesection above it. Therefore the work of putting the anges on theconductor was often necessarily done at the building, which wasinconvenient, while the securing of fastening de vices to the conductoris saved with my conductor.

An incidental advantage'of my construction is, that it is not injured bythe expansion of water freezing therein. Water freezing in conductors ofround or similar form acts upon the sides and ruptures the seams. Incase of my conductorthe seam spreads at its front edge, but, being heldtight at the rear edge, does not rupture at the fastening and becomeleaky.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its construction and manner of use.

In the drawings referred to, A represents the water-conductor, which ismade of sheetiron or other suitable metal, and may be of any desiredshape, either round, angular, or corrugated.

B is the seam uniting the two sides of the sheet from which the pipe ismade. This seam B is formed so as to stand up from the pipe, preferablyat ajright angle to a tangent of the pipe, at the point from which theseam extends.

The seam B may be united in different ways, though the following is theway preferred by ine, as it gives the flrinest and bestjoint: Bymachinery suitable for the purpose la crease is made along one side ofthe sheet and a bend along both sides, so that when brought together theport-ions bent out will lie flat together, (he edge along one sidefitting within the crease on the other side, and the Whole eX- tendingout from the pipe. Another crease or lock is then made by turning overpart of the standing or bent-out portions, so that the first crease willcome against the extension or standing seam, thus forming what may betermed a double-locked standing seam.7 This seam, as it isdouble-locked, needs no soldering` to make it water-tight, and willstand a heavy strain before a leak will be sprung in it, and thus makesthe seam of the pipe as strong as any other portion. The standing seam Bmay, however, be united by riveting or soldering.

Thepipes orconductors are formedin lengths or sections and theuppersection slipped within the lowerone to form any length of conductordesired. In order to do this the lower end of the seam B of each sectionis sheared off in a beveling line, as at c, and the seam of the upperend of the next section is opened, as at a', and the upper sectionslipped down into it.

D represents my improved fastening', which is a nail, spike, or screwhaving a slotted head -with inwardly-extending lips d. The seam B beingplaced in the slot, the overlap b stands back of one lip d, and atapering or headed key, c, is dropped or driven into the slot back ofthe other lip d. This secures the conductor firmly to the fastener. p

The manner of putting up my improved conductor is to drive or screw thefasteners D in the required line, place the seam of the conductor in theslots of the fasteners, and then drop the keys into place. Thus there isno work to be done at the building upon the conductor, and no care to beexpended'in placing the fasteners, except to get them into line. Thefastener is concealed from sight| by the body of the pipe, giving to theconductor a neat appearance. The seam being toward the Wall prevents thebody of the conductor from touching. the wall, so that no overflow orleakage of the conductor can be absorbed by the Wall, thus protectingthe wall from dampness caused by the overflow or leakage so common in water-conductors. The conductors can beset any desired distance from theWall by regulating the length of the fastener accordingly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A water-conductor provided witha standing seam, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

2. A Water-conductor provided With a doublelocked standing seam,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the standing seam of the conductor, a slottedfastener and key, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The slotted headed nail or screw fastener, having inwardly-extendinglips, as at d, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I, the said GEORGE K. REBER, have hereunto set myhand.

GEO. K. REBER.

Witnesses JN0. K. SMITH, T; B. KEER.

